


him (and him) and the stars

by spellman (orphan_account)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), ThorBruce Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-07-11 04:35:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15964817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/spellman
Summary: while all of this was happening, he kept to himself.thor was somehow the person that bruce had wanted to see most and least of all. embarrassed by thor seeing him in that state; dazed and somewhat helpless, yet he couldn’t think of anyone else who would have made him feel better about it all.





	him (and him) and the stars

**Author's Note:**

> wew. last time i posted a marvel fic, hope was still alive. (spoilers, sorry!)
> 
> so uhhhh i've just been out there living my best life, i haven't got round to writing much! i originally wrote this in july in preparation for thorbruce week, but then life happened and i never actually posted it,,,,, so enjoy this extremely late thorbruce fic

For a while, it was just him and the stars. The Asgardian rescue mission had mostly been a bust, everyone getting on a ship and leaving their planet for dead -- but was that really Bruce’s place to judge? Mostly he just kept quiet; negotiations were happening, important decisions being made and he was anything but well informed - he’d spent years alone fighting on a party planet, what did people expect of him anyway?

 

So while all of this was happening, he kept to himself. It wasn’t so much that everyone was wary of him (they’d seen the whole rage monster thing; or at least heard of it) and besides, Bruce still didn’t know if people actually disliked him, or if it was the anxiety getting the better of him. Either way, he tried not to think about it -- except there wasn’t much else to think about. Everything that had happened to  _ him  _ recently (he ignored the last two years -- not that he could remember much) was centered around the whirlwind going on right now, which always led him back to his worries. 

 

He thought about Thor, some, but he didn’t tend to acknowledge it. After everything that had happened since Ultron, Thor was somehow the person that Bruce had wanted to see most  _ and  _ least of all. Embarrassed by Thor seeing him in that state; dazed and somewhat helpless, yet he couldn’t think of anyone else who would have made him feel better about it all. Thor didn’t treat him like a lost cause, and he liked that. He  _ liked  _ Thor. 

 

This had, admittedly, dawned on him quite a while ago (before everything that had happened with Ultron, at least), but he’d had much bigger problems at hand and therefore not a lot of time to give it any thought. And now he had nothing but time, and it was the last thing he wanted to think about. It wasn’t that he was ashamed or embarrassed, but if there was one thing that Bruce hated, it was false hope.

 

A familiar voice sounded from behind him, making him jump. “Evening, Banner. How are you feeling?” He turned to face Thor, smiling sheepishly before turning back to the window. 

 

“I’m alright. Just-- homesick, that’s all.” It wasn’t entirely a lie, he was, but Bruce had a way of only telling people the things that he wanted to say. He was careful, and strategic; it was how he maintained that he never said the wrong thing to anyone. He’d become a good liar over the years.

 

“You’re not the only one. May I sit?” Bruce nodded, suddenly a little wary of his presence. “A couple of weeks ago, when Asgard fell to ruins, I felt as though I’d failed my people. It was my one job to protect them, to stop Ragnarok, and I couldn’t help but think that I’d failed them entirely. It took me a few days to realise, the Asgardians - my people - they are alive and well, for the most part. Our homeland is gone, but home is nothing more than a place of rest. The real strength is in us, and while home often makes us feel better, gives us somewhere to go, we can live without it. And-- I’m sorry, I’m rambling.”

 

“No, no. Go on; I’m listening.” Thor smiled. He leaned back on the step behind him and paused for a second.

 

“You’re stronger than you think you are, Banner.” Bruce broke eye contact, stared at the ground and opened his mouth to say something. “I mean  _ you _ , Bruce. You know of Hulk’s strength, but, correct me if I’m wrong, the heart  _ is  _ the most important muscle in the body.” Bruce wanted to ask Thor what he meant - what he was trying to say - but he didn’t. Somehow he knew, even if he couldn’t entirely comprehend it.  _ God, I can construct theories on quantum physics but I can’t understand it when a friend says something nice to me. _

 

“Thor-- how do you always know what to say to make me feel better? Is that a part of your god power, or something?” Bruce asked, after a long second of silence. Thor chuckled, shaking his head.

 

“I just know how to be honest,” And Bruce smiled then, probably for the first time in weeks. He wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the words to say. The silence, thankfully, hadn’t turned uncomfortable and both were left fumbling for what to say next, or if they should say anything at all. 

 

And then it happened quickly - Thor leaned forward and kissed Bruce lightly, so much so that Bruce would’ve doubted it actually happening if it wasn’t for Thor whispering: “Is this alright?” Bruce still didn’t know what to say, couldn’t form the words in his mouth and so he nodded, pulling Thor forward and kissing him again, more this time. It lasted longer than a split second, and his hands moved from Thor’s arms to his neck to his hair, though he was still in doubt that Thor actually wanted this. He decided to let himself enjoy this though, even if it was just for a minute or two. He ignored that persistent voice telling him that it wasn’t real and that he was probably the butt of some ugly joke, leaving nothing but this, and him, and  _ now _ .

 

When they eventually broke apart, Bruce stared down at his lap, hoping that Thor wouldn’t pick up on his childish embarrassment right away. “I-- sorry.” he said, trailing off as Thor reached to touch his jaw gently, encouraging Bruce to look up at him.

 

“Don’t apologise,” Thor whispered. His voice was so gentle, a tone that Bruce hadn’t heard from anybody in so long (it made him want to cry - he would  _ not  _ cry).

 

“How long have you, uh..” Bruce asked shyly, gesturing between the two of them, hoping that it made sense.

 

“Oh. A while, I suppose. I never really gave it a chance to dawn on me, always rather preoccupied, but it’s not new. It’s not a new, uh, sentiment, really.”

 

“Really? Wow,” Bruce raised his eyebrows. He exhaled loudly and laughed a little nervously. “I uh. Like, three years ago. Before everything that happened last time we saw each other. A while before. I mean, not to be-- you know, you had Jane then so I’d never-”

 

“And you had Natasha?” he asked, sounding genuinely confused and God, if Bruce wasn’t already more flustered than he’d ever been, then he definitely was now.

 

“No, I never really-- we never, um. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Neither of us were in a very good place and- let’s not talk about this right now. Please?” Thor nodded, giving a small smile. He understood. 

 

And maybe that’s all Bruce needed.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> btw i haven't proofread this since july and i can't be bothered so uhhh yea
> 
> for every comment this gets i'll kiss a boy (spam me with comments)


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